Author: Alikivi

LISTEN TO THE MUSIC in conversation with North Shields singer & songwriter Terry Gorman

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Singer/songwriter Terry Gorman Nov.25 pic. Alikivi

Now based in North Shields, Terry Gorman was born in Colne, Lancashire and has been playing guitar for over 50 years. Music has taken the 66 year old around the UK and Europe including Ireland, Amsterdam and Lanzarote.

I’ve done thousands of gigs maybe more than anyone you’ve met! said Terry after he had taken a short ferry journey over the river Tyne from North Shields to South Shields. We met in The Customs House for a cuppa and talked about music.

In North Shields there’s a nice music scene going on. We currently run a monthly ‘Songwriter Circle’ event every month in The Engine Room on Tanners Bank. It’s ran by myself and a few friends Steve McVay, Larry Page, Steve Rudd and Lyndon Phyliskirk.

You see live performance of singer songwriters all playing original songs. We encourage all levels of talent leading to paid gigs and possible festival spots. It’s been very successful so far and has been going since June said Terry.

Have I ever held down a proper job? I tried working 20 hours a week but found it hard working for idiotic managers. I thought I could earn enough money playing guitar and singing. I wasn’t interested in chasing fame.

I liked Ralph McTell, Alan Hull, James Taylor people like that telling a story. I watched Lindisfarne who were ordinary blokes, really down to earth but well known at the same time – that was for me. It was all about the music.

My introduction to music was my grandparents who had a piano in the front room. A lot of people did. I was around 10 year old when I picked up a guitar. It was a Hofner with a scratch plate. A Catholic priest who was a friend of the family knew I loved singing and writing poetry so he gave me his acoustic as he was off to the missions in Africa.

I lived in Brampton, Cumbria until I was 8 year old that’s where I saw the first singer who made an impact on me. It was Elvis when he sang on our black and white TV although I couldn’t make out the words or what he was singing about. The Beatles and Stones were good but I really liked storytellers, folk music where you could hear the words. I love lyrics.

Then I heard Lindisfarne and Isaac Guillory who made a G chord sound interesting. My first public gig performing was as a teenager in Durham I think, I was nervous and pretended to be confident.

Terry supporting the Devan Allman band at Newcastle Cluny.

North East venues Terry has played over the years include Bents Park and Amphitheatre in South Shields, Sunderland Empire, in Newcastle he performed at the Live Theatre, Journal Tyne Theatre and The Cluny. He also played in Durham City Hall and Gala Theatre, Washington Arts Centre and Darlington Arts Centre.

I won a songwriting competition in 1990 and thought it would lead to bigger things. A lot of radio play came off the back of that and a slot at the Cambridge Folk Festival and a headline at Dungeon Ghylls Music Festival in Cumbria. Again, I thought that would lead to more so I kept plodding along.

I played support to the Levellers at Tan Hill, Yorkshire, the highest venue in England. It went great playing my own songs, really grabbed the crowd by the scruff of the neck and went down well with an encore. The Levellers didn’t like that so I wasn’t asked back! Opening for Ralph McTell was a good gig and I’ve worked with Prelude a lot, I liked your interview with the singer Brian Hume earlier this year.

Terry supporting The Levellers at Tan Hill, Yorkshire.

I remember I played at a festival on the Isle of Bute, Scotland. I was the only one who wasn’t signed to a record company or connected to a famous band. There was Steve Daggett from Lindisfarne, Baz Warne out of the Stranglers, Martin Stephenson who was popular in the 1980s and others out of bands like The Pogues. I thought what am I doing here? I didn’t get signed but really, I never felt out of my depth.

I’ve wrote a few songs about getting knocked down and fighting back. When on stage I wouldn’t introduce the songs as if they were about depression or mental health. They are more about the power inside of you. It’s about dusting yourself off and going again.

I’ve recorded in Newcastle studios like The Cluny. Archie Brown from the Young Bucks was sound engineer. Then I went to Trinity Heights ran by Fred Purser. He was great, a really good lad, he used to be in North East bands Penetration and Tygers of Pan Tang.

What am I doing now? Well, it’s keeping the work rate up. In the last 12 months I released a single, ‘Only News Today,’ two albums and six professional music videos.

For 2026 I’ve got a folk album ready. One of the songs is ‘The Silent Shipyard’ about the closing of the shipyards and mines, all of the industry we have lost. I want a male voice choir on that one with a brass band and violins. Another song is ‘Beacon in the Dark’ about the whaling ships we had on the Tyne.

An idea floating about is a rock opera about John Lennon who was shot and killed in New York in 1980. In ‘Sgt Pepper Survived’ John Lennon gets shot and survives, lies in a coma for many years, wakes up and reveals his thoughts about world events today.

One scene is him sitting in a bar talking to Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix – yes, he lives as well. Lennon is also interviewed on stage where he is asked what he thinks about today’s shows like X-Factor, bands like Oasis and social media Spotify, Facebook and Instagram. I’m always thinking of these ideas.

If I have any advice to young musicians, it’s that if you enjoy your music, you’ve made it. If you don’t best just pack in and go do something else.

Listen to Terry Gorman here >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWySntpYOxo

Alikivi   December 2025

BAD EGGS – with Anna Malia founder of North East Animal Rights

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Sadly, some schools are still using egg-hatching programmes as a misguided way to educate children on life cycles of animals or using them as a treat to the children in their care explained Anna.

As more and more schools realise the problems these awful programmes cause, the companies who exploit these live young animals have extended their business model to include care homes where they aim to use them in so-called enrichment activities for residents.

Anna added…Despite the companies saying they will take back and home all unwanted chicks and ducklings produced from these programmes, the reality is very different. Even in the small print of the contracts they say that hirers have to be realistic about the fact that ‘some’ will end up as food and males will be culled.

Male chicks turn into very noisy cockerels and every year rescues are swamped with both male and female chicks and ducklings who are abandoned once they grow out of their useful ‘cute’ stage.

Our local wildlife and domestic animal rescue centre ‘Pawz For Thought’ who are based in Sunderland, are inundated every year with abandoned chicks from egg-hatching programmes.  

A spokesperson for Pawz said “Every year we are inundated with calls from concerned parents of pupils who aredoing hatching projects. School hatching projects are often presented as education, but the reality is far from kind.”

“Chicks are hatched in the name of learning, yet the process has become a form of lazy teaching. For a few weeks, children view these animals as entertainment—then the chicks are handed away, this teaches young people that living beings are disposable and exist for our pleasure.”

“Every year, we are asked to take in chicks to save them from being culled. Around half of all chicks hatched are cockerels, and there are simply no homes for them. They face a terrible fate.”

“Schools often believe they are rehoming them to willing parents, but with no follow-up, many unwanted cockerels eventually end up dumped once they mature. This cycle of suffering must stop.” 

Anna said…As part of their Animal Protection Charter, South Tyneside Council have contacted all of their schools and asked them not to use these programmes. They confirmed recently that none of their primary schools will book these programmes again making them an ‘egg-hatching programme free borough’!

Cllr Judith Taylor Chair of the Animal Protection Charter Working Group at South Tyneside Council said “South Tyneside Council is committed to the highest standards of animal welfare. We have taken decisive action by contacting all our schools to urge them not to use egg-hatching programmes.”

“We believe there are far more compassionate and educational ways to teach children about life cycles, and we encourage all educational settings to consider the welfare of animals in their care.”

Anna added…These programmes bear no resemblance to the actual life cycle of chicks and ducklings – they are not hatched in sterile metal and plastic incubators for a start. They do not have the warmth and love from their mother and of course they don’t show students where the birds end up and how they are slaughtered for food. 

What are we doing now? We are currently campaigning across the North East and also have a group working in the North West and a group in the West Midlands coming on board. We want schools and care homes to know the misery these programmes cause.

We are also encouraging people to contact their MP and the Education Secretary to ask them to update the curriculum to remove the suggestion of egg-hatching programmes as an educational tool.  

Thank you to South Shields artist Sheila Graber for the animation.

For further information about the work of North East Animal Rights contact >>>

Facebook @northeastanimalrights

Instagram @northeastanimalrights

TikTok @northeastanimalrights 

Bluesky @neanimalrights.bsky.social

Threads @northeastanimalrights

North East Animal Rights – YouTube

https://linktr.ee/northeastanimalrights

Alikivi   November 2025

RETURN TO MEMPHIS – new single from Teesside Rhythm & Blues singer & songwriter Emma Wilson

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Emma at BBC Radio 2 with Cerys Mathews December 2023

Magazine front covers, BBC Radio 2, awards, tours, record releases – this past few year Emma has been prolific. In 2023 she released ‘Memphis Calling’ recorded in Sam Phillips studio in Memphis, USA, earlier this year she talked about her third album ‘A Spoonful of Willie Dixon’. Recently she got in touch about her latest single…

I’m stablemates with American band Chris Wyze and the Tellers. We’re both signed for distribution with ‘Select-O-Hits’ in Memphis. Chris found out I was in Tennessee for a few days in September so asked me to co-write and sing a duet with him. We recorded ‘Hearts Blue Christmas’ at Royal Studios in Memphis with the Hi Rhythm Section.

At the end of the recording session producer Boo Mitchell said ‘We have an hour left“. Chris turned to me and said ‘Do you want to do anything?’ I’ve previously recorded with pianist Charles Hodges (who is part of the Hi Rhythm Section) on my record ‘Memphis Calling’ and we have a good friendship and work well together.

I asked Charles if he knew the song “What are you doing New Years Eve”? The track was written by Frank Loesser in 1947. I think I must have first heard the Lena Horne’s 1966 version as my Mum played a lot of her music when I was little.

Charles strolled over and started playing it so beautifully on the grand piano. That piano has been in the same position at Royal studios for decades. Goodness knows how many iconic songs it has featured on!

Charles and I spent about ten minutes getting a key to suit and having a run through, then he called Steve Potts to play some lovely light drums and then we taped it.

L to R – Charles Hodges, Steve Potts, Hubbie Turner, Emma Wilson, Boo Mitchell, Lina Beach, Chris Wyze and Leroy Hodges at Royal Studio, Willie Mitchell Boulevard, Memphis on 25 September 2025.

Along with promoting the single now Emma is already looking forward to 2026…Recently I won the UK Blues Challenge at Marshall Studios which means I go to Memphis in January to represent the UK in the International Blues Challenge and for the European Blues Challenge I go to Poland.

‘What Are You Doing New Years Eve’ is out on 21st November 2025 as digital download and a very limited run of CDs which are available from the official website >>>

Emma Wilson – award winning rhythm & blues singer from the UK

Alikivi   November 2025

SHIELDS CLOSEST ENCOUNTER

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As requested, readers of this site have contributed stories featuring supernatural phenomena. Researcher & Historian, and regular contributor to the site Dan Green, got in touch to pass on an interesting story he came across.

Report in The Shields Gazette 2013.

A visit to South Shields by three unexplained lights in the sky in October 1967 seemed to be very convincing as it was witnessed and recorded by policemen. But what occurred the previous year might be an even better UFO episode.

It began when a Shields resident agreed to tell her story to local newspaper The Shields Gazette in 2013 on the proviso that her identity was kept anonymous.

It was a cold night in late autumn, a black starless sky between 10-10.30pm when she and half a dozen of her girlfriends, all teens, were walking home from Harton village past Harton cemetery when they noticed a huge circular ‘flying saucer’ hovering approximately 20’ above the ground, coloured lights pulsated underneath with a humming noise.

It suddenly shot up into the air to a height of about 60-70’ staying stationary for a while then swooping down over the cemetery. Three times it repeated this climbing and ascending motion until it finally shot up into the sky disappearing in an instant.

The shaken girls stood there motionless and speechless and never said a word as they continued home. Little did they know that it appears that on the same night the unidentified aerial phenomena was also seen and witnessed by a Mr Alton, then aged 20, and his wife.

The object was first spotted as they were walking to their home near the old Westoe Colliery. It wandered slowly around the sky towards Tyne Dock where the following year the three lights above the flats were witnessed.

Disappearing from their view it was next seen 10 minutes later suddenly flying almost directly over Mr Alton. They could hear a soft humming sound as the black circular shaped craft blocked out the stars. A circular white light was centrally located on the underbelly of the craft, around the circumference was an aurora of soft, colourful light. It then flew off towards South Shields Town Hall nearby.

Mr Alton estimated it to be travelling at about 15mph and was at least 40’ diameter. They watched for about two minutes as it skimmed above the Westoe Road rooftops.

I recently contacted Mr Alton now 79 and living in Whitburn, to see if he was still clear with his story and indeed he is – there is no doubt in my mind that he is telling the absolute truth and in accurate detail.

Was this the same UFO witnessed on the same night as seen by the girls in Harton? Two remarkable close encounters begging the question, why was South Shields being visited by UFO’s during 1966 and 1967?

More revelations of supernatural phenomena will feature on this site. If you want to share your experience don’t hesitate to get in touch.

October 2025

CREEPING DEATH

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As requested, readers of this site have contributed stories featuring supernatural phenomena. 60 year old Jeff Anderson from Washington, County Durham, talked of his experiences.

The paranormal equates to something or some activity that is unknown now but is likely to be known and possibly understood in the future. So, a good example of paranormal activity would include ghost sightings and other spiritual activity of that nature.

It’s the stuff of sixth sense, which we are all aware of in situations when somebody is staring at us from behind, we look around and sure enough someone is. And vice-versa when we stare at someone suddenly they become aware of our stare.

I have over the last few years been equally fortunate and unfortunate to have been exposed to very real paranormal activity.

It was the very height of the Covid-19 pandemic I had been to Lidl one Saturday morning, nothing unusual there. Bonnie my German Shepherd was eagerly awaiting my return to the car. No sooner had I done so when quite inexplicably the car radio started playing and this despite being most definitely being switched off. I had the presence of mind to video the occurrence for future reference.

It sounded like Metallica playing but I wasn’t sure of the song. It turned out to be Creeping Death. I learned later it’s a song about the Biblical pass over featuring the Angel of Death. Creepy right?

On my weekly visit to my elderly parents house I explained to them the car radio occurrence and showed them the video I made that day. I felt someone somewhere was trying to communicate something.

In an instant a powerful gust of wind blew in through the upstairs front bedroom window, it came down the stairs twisting and turning and blew into the living room with such force that it actually blasted open the living room doors. It then turned back on itself and blew out of a small living room window. I mentioned it to my parents but they didn’t want to discuss it.

Unfortunately, my mother suffered a stroke a few year later. One afternoon I visited her in hospital with my Auntie. My mother occupied a room with three other stroke patients. There were just the six of us in the room on this occasion with no medical staff in attendance.

Of the four stroke patients three were asleep including my mam. The other patient was awake lying on her back, staring at the ceiling and occasionally crying out for her mother every few minutes or so, even though she was in her 70s herself. She was unaware of anything going on around her due to a possible dementia diagnosis.

The next thing it started raining mixed with hail and with such force and intensity I thought the window nearest to her might be blown in. After a short while things settled down.

However, the woman in the bed nearest the window was like someone possessed, she no longer cried out for her mother and was now fully aware. She turned her head and looked directly at me in the eye, diverting her gaze away from the ceiling. She even attempted to get out of bed at one point and come over to me. It was then I decided it was a goodtime to leave.

Sadly, my mother died a few months later. Two nights before her funeral I had left my bedroom window open only to be awoken at 3am by a strong gust of wind, so powerful it took every ounce of my physical strength to slam the window shut. Before I managed to close it the wind blasted me directly in the face, at which point an image of mother’s face unexpectedly appeared in my mind’s eye.

More revelations of supernatural phenomena will feature on this site. If you want to share your experience don’t hesitate to get in touch.

October 2025

THE FALLING ANGEL

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As requested, readers of this site have contributed stories featuring supernatural phenomena. A regular reader from South Shields shares her experience.

My ghostly event, and I can call it an event, happened thirty years ago at my late husband’s private memorial service. This account of the super natural happening is not only true it’s also factual. There are still people alive who witnessed the spectacle to tell the tale. There were other remarkable incidents before and after my late husband’s death but I have chosen to share with your readers ‘The Falling Angel’ episode.

Before the service I had spent some hours at the local church arranging floral displays. Andrew, the Reverend, popped in to admire the colourful stage set. There were several pedestals of white roses amongst autumn foliage, all linked with strings of white simulated pearls. A complete stranger had run her fingers along the strings remarking they were many tears of love.

The Reverend had asked me why the central pedestal was standing empty. I let him know I was intending to place my late husband’s photograph on top of it. It was the last one taken of him only weeks ago when we were touring the eastern seaboard of Canada. However, the Reverend offered me an alternative to the pedestal.

Hours later, a congregation of about thirty people sat in church in total silence with their heads bowed as the coffin was respectfully placed in front of the altar draped with a purple velvet cloth.

The Reverend began the service of love by welcoming the rows of tearful mourners. Then he walked over and took the photograph of my late husband from me and placed it firmly on the brass eagle lectern. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at my late husband’s image smiling back at me, resting on the eagle’s outstretched wings. The romantic scene was complete.

As he started to speak something unexpected happened causing a murmuring from the congregation. The photo fell to the floor. The Reverend returned it to the stand. He continued his soliloquy but not for long as the photo fell from the stand again. Visibly shaken he returned it for a second time.

As he replaced it, he mumbled some inaudible words before turning towards the shocked mourners. Everyone watched as the photograph moved forward and crashed to the floor for a third time. The glass in the frame shattered.

The service of love came to an abrupt end. I felt a deep urge to walk across and rescue the mischievous culprits image announcing with a smile ‘My husband is determined that he doesn’t want to be put on a pedestal’.

More revelations of supernatural phenomena will feature on this site. If you want to share your experience don’t hesitate to get in touch.

October 2025

SPIRITS IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

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As requested, readers of this site have contributed stories featuring supernatural phenomena. Actor and theatre producer Alison Stanley talked of her experiences. Featured in this story is a medieval castle in Chillingham, Northumberland which is reported to be one of the UK’s most haunted castles.

In the past I’ve been a celebrant at funerals and enjoy doing it. I’ve always been interested in spiritualism. I believe in a next life. We’ve talked about what happens when you die and we’ve mentioned ghosts, spirituality and the like people believe different things explained Alison.

Some say when you die you just die and there is no afterlife. But how do they know for sure? And by the laws of science we are a ball of energy and by those laws it doesn’t die so where does that energy go? The physical body dies and is buried or cremated but what happens to the energy? It’s an interesting subject.

A few years ago we went to Chillingham Castle on a day trip. There was me, my mother, my youngest son and my step dad. It was a grey dark day lashing down with rain. We were driving along the country roads getting near the castle. We turned a corner and saw an old woman in a red coat standing at the side of the road. She wasn’t old as somebody from the 1800s but there was something about her that didn’t look right. We all remarked about this woman who was in the middle of nowhere really.

I looked in my rear view mirror and she was standing looking at the car. Where did she come from as there were no houses around maybe she has dementia? I just wasn’t sure I couldn’t put my finger on it. What really was wrong was she didn’t look wet she was bone dry. But it was lashing down?

We get in to Chillingham Castle and looked at all the artefacts and stuff it’s quite cluttered. On one of the clothes dummies was a lady with a red coat and she had a hat on. It was from one of the women who had worked there as a housekeeper. I swear it was the same coat we had seen.

Another time was 10 years ago. We were sitting in a bar called the Pig & Whistle in Hollywood which is a very theatrical, grand sort of place. I went through a red velvet curtain to the toilet downstairs and after four steps I couldn’t go any further, I stopped because I froze and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. There was no way I could go any further down the stairs.

I came straight back up and told my husband we’re going to another bar for a drink because there is no way on God’s earth I’m going to the toilet here. Later we found out there had been a fire there and there was strong spiritual activity in the pub.

I think if someone is in the next life and they visit you I think it’s a bit of an honour really. They might have plenty to do and they have taken time out of their day to see you – so yes, it’s an honour.

More revelations of supernatural phenomena will feature on this site. If you want to share your experience don’t hesitate to get in touch.

October 2025

MONGO – new album from Heed Case

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Follow up to debut album ‘All the Rage’, post punk three piece Heed Case release new album ‘Mongo’ on Friday 31st October 2025.

Heed Case are former Angelic Upstart guitarist on vocals Newts Newton, bass Si Cadelik and drums Mr Dusty. They squeeze between the bubbling volcanic crack where The Fall and Killing Joke lie.

And who doesn’t love a solid thunderous drum intro? Infectious album track ‘ADHD’ crunches and buzzes in yer ear…. ‘Impulsive can’t sit still, Destructive, too many pills, Can’t sit still for meditation, too much pressure and medication’.

The sheer anthemic guitar calls out…. ‘Cast adrift in a sea of challenges with a feeling of being left to drown. Frantically waving to be rescued. But all the lifeboats have run aground’.

Where did the album title come from?

‘The title ‘Mongo’ comes from a phrase the three of us use to describe our autism and adhd. Example, I have to everything in order. You open a cupboard in my kitchen and all the tins face forward and stacked alphabetically. Instead of saying “Oh that’s just a trait of autism, I’m neurodivergent don’t you know”. I’d simply say that’s just my mongo!’

‘However, it’s original source came from Si’s bass audition. I’d asked people to learn two tracks video themselves playing them and send it within 5 days. Si was the only one who followed the instructions to the letter – his mongo made sure of that.’

‘But when I watched the video he was concentrating so hard he was quite stiff and cumbersome. So much so that he reminded me of Mongo from the film ‘Blazing Saddles’. Hence Mongo became a word our traits and mannerisms associated with being neurodivergent.’

You are open about various medical conditions within the band….

’The broad theme of ‘All the Rage’ was about narcissism and entitlement in modern society. For ‘Mongo’ we chose to write about our experiences of living with autism and adhd whilst using different samples and FX to create soundscapes that reflected what the inside of our head often feels like – at times fecking scary!’

‘The song ‘Manic’ for example, is about how dealing with everyday tasks often feels like being hit with a tornado. A visual representation would be the swirl of colours you see when Henry the mild mannered janitors car, turns him into Hong Kong Phooey in the TV cartoon – and that’s what we tried to recreate with the audio.’

‘You may notice that the guitar isn’t as prominent through the tracks, its being used more as a texture rather than a traditional role in a guitar band. ‘All the Rage’ was a transitional album, ‘Mongo’ goes further down that road towards our aim of broadening our horizons beyond the punk genre.’

With the album in the bag are any live dates planned?

‘Yes, we’ve already played about 17 gigs thus far, including Rebellion Festival, Punk on the Peninsula, Punk & Disorderly Festivals and our last gig was at the Dublin Castle in Camden a few weeks ago. We’ve got a few more coming up and adding dates all the time as we want to keep busy’.

New 10 track album ‘Mongo’ release date Friday 31st October on all platforms, vinyl & CD format.

Contact the official website >>> www.heedcase.com

Link to previous interview >>>

HEED CASE release debut album ‘All the Rage’ | ALIKIVI : NORTH EAST UK CULTURE

Alikivi  October 2025

STROKE OF LUCK in conversation with Durham musician Stuart Willis

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Sitting in the Littlehaven Hotel on a sunny autumn day in South Shields I’m listening to a familiar story which I’ve heard a lot since starting this site in 2017.

59 year old Durham musician Stuart Willis told me ‘I was in a band for a short space of time and got a taste of the music business. Although we weren’t a success commercially, we played gigs and got attention from record labels but didn’t quite get it over the line’. This is Stuart’s story.

(Stuart Willis outside Littlehaven Hotel, South Shields September 2025. pic. Alikivi).

Older generations of the family originally came down from Scotland to the North East to work in chemical factories and the mines. My father was first in the family to go to grammar school and became an accountant. He was the one who bucked the trend.

I remember my mam brought a classical guitar record into the house. I absolutely loved it. I was around 11 year old when I got a cheap guitar and music book for Christmas. I picked it up very quickly. There wasn’t anyone else in the family who played and the school I went to didn’t even do music lessons.

My first influences were The Jam and Specials the whole Two-Tone and post punk scene with bands like Television, Magazine and Gang of Four who I saw at the Gateshead Festival in 1982 (The Police headlined with U2, The Beat and Lords of the New Church on the bill).

On the North East music scene was a band I liked called Neon. Tim Jones was in them and he went on to play fascinating music. I first played in a punk band in the local community centre when I was 16. Then I met Michael Salmon in 1985.

(Michael Salmon in rehearsal 1980s)

He was a drummer in Prefab Sprout with Paddy McAloon the main songwriter. When Michael left Prefab it was purely amicable. He wanted to realise his ambition of being a songwriter.

I was 18 playing in a duo in a pub in Witton Gilbert, County Durham. Michael was there that night. He liked what we were playing. I was playing classical guitar with Mark Wiles on bass.

Michael was a charismatic guy, excellent guitarist, singer and songwriter almost a teacher to me. Michael had a phenomenal record collection and I was introduced to all these amazing sounds.

We got in a drummer who was playing on the Durham scene and we called ourselves Swimmer Leon. Rehearsals were in Fowler’s Yard in Durham a lot of bands rehearsed there. We practised in there every week. The room itself almost became another member of the band. The sound was born in that room. We had about three albums worth of great songs that Michael had written.

The first place we recorded in was Consett Music project. We were all nervous. We recorded three tracks live and added a few overdubs. We took the songs out to play a few gigs.

(Swimmer Leon 1985)

We were mainly playing live around 1985 we got on well and had a cracking time. We supported a few big bands mainly playing University gigs. One night we supported the Ronnie Scott Quartet, he had a jazz group who had the club in London. Then there was ex Waterboy Karl Wallinger and World Party.

There were loads of times we met different musicians at these gigs who knew Michael from his Prefab days. There was the drummer from The Ruts who gave us some insightful advice about the record industry. He told us not be in a band because you can get lumbered with huge debts. Best to play for other people and get paid. Wise words.

For me the quality of any live work or recording we done was so important. Sometimes playing smaller gigs is a cacophony of sound but when we played the Students Union in Durham that gig was recorded straight off the mixing desk and we loved that sound.

After gigs other guitar players want to speak to you. That’s really great we appreciated all the attention but we thought where’s the women! We didn’t play ordinary chords so a few times they’d ask ‘At the beginning of that song what’s that chord’? and ‘Can I look at yer Gretch’. We were a quirky band and got a lot of press.

(Swimmer Leon 1986)

We also recorded in the Cluny Warehouse in Newcastle with John Silvester. Michael’s songs had jazzy elements too them, complicated chord progressions with complicated lyrics – it was like post punk jazz. With all the obscure influences we weren’t your run of the mill band. We were an arty band. We thought yeah, we’re great we’ll get a record deal!

Did you know we ended up with a development deal with CBS? Thing was we never sent a tape to them, strangely Michael thought it should come to us! The only thing we did was send tapes with the band name and telephone number to the local press to get reviewed.

All the major labels had regional scouts who would pick up on the music section in the local papers then come to gigs and take it from there. This is what happened to us and led us to recording in Guardian studio in a little village called Pity Me in County Durham. It was a really good studio.

Guardian was two houses knocked together with a large console and a piano at the side. The owner Terry Gavaghan was very professional about the work and we got on well with him. He wanted to know the structure of the songs, so we played them through sitting near the console.

Michael played drums on that recording his first time since leaving the Sprouts. I played guitars, bass and all the keyboards. Terry recorded it separately with a guide vocal, guitar, drums, bass and put stuff on top. He produced both tracks which still sound good today.

I was working in Windows musical instruments and record shop in Newcastle so I put their telephone number on our demo tape. A local reporter wrote a review of the tape. At work I got a call telling me it was Simon Potts at Capital Records and he was phoning from L.A. Yes Los Angeles! He asked if we had many songs so I told him about three albums worth. ‘OK I’m sending someone up to see you.’

Research has found an interesting story about Simon. He was originally from Newcastle and lives in Hawaii now. With a great pedigree within the music industry he signed The Beat, Simply Red, Thompson Twins, Stray Cats, all selling in huge numbers having massive hits. Last band he reportedly signed were Radiohead.

This guy came up to Witton Gilbert from London and liked what he heard. We quickly arranged a showcase gig in Newcastle pub Slones. Actually, Brian Mawson, my manager at Windows music shop arranged the gig for us.

I loved working in Windows. It was a great place surrounded by people with aspirations to become musicians. There were new instruments on sale, latest records, local releases also a wall full of wanted musicians and bands advertising gigs – a great atmosphere. Darren Stewart who played bass for a few years in Swimmer Leon worked there. Dave Brewis also worked there he was in The Kane Gang.

The night of our gig London record label were having a promotion so a lot of artists were there and ended up at our gig. It was mad. Simon Potts from Capital flew in from L.A. We had Bananarama dancing down at the front, I think the Kane Gang were there. The head of A&R at Capital records told us ‘We’re giving you some money to record, just as long as you don’t go to Montserrat with George Martin!’ So, we went back to Pity Me and Terry Gavaghan!

We were in Guardian for three days and recorded three songs. By then GO Discs were interested in us, Warners were interested in us, Phonogram were interested in us. We were going up and down to London for meetings but we couldn’t get it over the line. It was just two kids really, me and Michael Salmon. The thing was we didn’t have a manager.

(Swimmer Leon promo shot 1987)

I remember going to CBS for a meeting. We were in a lift and there was Mick Jones from The Clash. I thought what’s going on here? From being a 16 year old punk playing gigs in Grindon Community Centre to meetings, gigs, studios and all this record label stuff without us really trying.

But life caught up with us. There was a time we thought is this gonna work? We didn’t want to move from Durham. I was from Sunderland so was Terence the drummer, Michael was from Witton Gilbert, Mark was living in Durham. The irony is when the band split up in 1989 we all moved.

I lived in London in the early 90s and worked in marketing for Virgin records. It wasn’t a glamorous lifestyle. I was living in a dingy flat in Blackheath. I saw the inner workings of the record business and couldn’t wait to leave. Richard Branson had sold the label by then to EMI and everybody was losing their jobs. I handed my car keys in went to Kings Cross train station and couldn’t wait to get back to Sunderland.

What am I doing now? My ambition was to study music properly so I done a music degree at Newcastle University from 1993-95 and ever since then I’ve been a teacher at Durham University in the music department, performer in classical guitar and specialise in historical music performance where I play the lute. I’ve also got a publishing deal for Schott, publishing guitar books.

Don’t want to come across like a moaning old bloke but young people today don’t understand what a band is. To get four or five like minded people trying to evolve a sound and make it into something special for you – that happened for us. We were lucky to be able to do what we done in the 80s. Today I still listen to all the bands I listened to back then. I’m still passionate about music.  

Alikivi   October 2025

GLORY BE – in conversation with stand up comedian Gavin Webster

/ Alikivi
(pic. Gavin Webster, Centurion bar, Newcastle. Alikivi Sept. 2025)

I first met Gavin back in 2021 where we are today in the Centurion bar in Newcastle Central Station. He talked about being brought up in Blaydon during the 1960s and breaking into alternative comedy in the early 90s.

I missed out on the workingmen’s club circuit. But there was still a buzz for the whole comedy scene. I’ve been doing this for 33 years, I’m 56 now.

We talked about TV shows we watched as kids – Wheeltappers and Shunters Club, The Comedians and Minder.

It was great. It seemed there was chaos and a caper everyday down London. I wanted to move down there and get to know these types of people, hustling and bustling during the days, loved it.

Scene from Sunday for Sammy in 2018.

In 2004 I was at Newcastle City Hall watching an afternoon of Geordie entertainment. Sunday for Sammy concert was organised by Auf Wiedersehen Pet stars Jimmy Nail, Tim Healy and Lindisfarne drummer Ray Laidlaw.

Among the TV, theatre and music talent on stage was AC/DC vocalist Brian Johnson ripping into Nutbush City Limits. A great afternoon. Played to packed houses the show returns to Newcastle every two years.

Yeah about 20 years ago I done a Sunday for Sammy show at Newcastle City Hall. Originally, I think Ray Laidlaw phoned me up about it. I really enjoyed it. In fact, I done it twice, the first time was with the lads from Viz. There was myself, Simon Donald, Simon Collier plus a couple of actors and I think the boxer Glenn McCrory done a part. We done a Sid the Sexist sketch. The next time I done my stand-up routine.

There were two shows. A matinee and a show in the evening. The matinee went well and at the later show I went on early because I had another show to do at The Stand in Newcastle. I had played the City Hall with 2,500 people there, a full house, but only about a dozen people turned up at The Stand. That has happened twice in my career.

At the Edinburgh Fringe in 2003. It was a benefit gig for an HIV/AIDS charity at the 3,000 seater Festival Theatre on Nicholson Street. It was a star studded line up and I did a 10 minute slot. My parents came up for the day. After the show I took them down to my other gig where only 11 people turned up. You get brought down to earth with a bump.

My agent at the time told me to go to the Oranji Boom Boom Club in London as it’s a good place to go, people get down there. I played the club on a Wednesday night and did a good decent job, worked hard, took it seriously. But in front of only a dozen people. However, a few year later I done some TV work on Channel Four and the producer came up to me and told me that he saw me at the Oranji Boom Boom Club.

During the past few interviews I’ve asked how do you survive in the arts?

Sometimes it’s been tough. I met a shock jock type of comedian from Australia his father was very rich. He was well supported. He would tell wild stories about how people walked out of his gigs. Now if I done that, I wouldn’t be able to pay my rent. It’s alright if you have unlimited funds coming in.

There has been times without work but I get by. I’ve done some voice over work, small comedy/drama parts. I’ve been in two Ken Loach films. I had speaking parts in I, Daniel Blake and Sorry I Missed You.

I done some of the animal voices on a children’s TV show called Walk on the Wild Side with Jason Mamford. We recorded that in a studio in Wardour Street, London. The set up is you watch the video on the big screen and read through the script. I got to write some of season three. Sarah Millican done it, Jon Richardson, Rob Gilbert, Mark Benton – loads of comics done voices on it.

I totally understand when some actors can end up working in shops and restaurants cos you need a regular income or you can end up skint. Actors need TV shows like Eastenders and Emmerdale. The films and voice overs don’t happen all the time – stand up has kept me going.

What am I doing now? I do a pod cast called Bazookaaah, small stand-up tours, regular gigs at Edinburgh Fringe and the Tyne Theatre in Newcastle. This new show on 21 November is called Glory Be its Gavin Webster. It’s stuff from Edinburgh with some new stuff that I’ve added. I always write a new show every 18 months or so.

Last time at Tyne Theatre was January 2024. For this show I arranged it and done a deal with them just for the one night so it’s not a massive commitment for them. Really looking forward to it.

Alikivi   October 2025

Link to podcast >>> Bazookaaah Number 37

Link to previous interview >>>

CRACK ON with North East comedian Gavin Webster | ALIKIVI : NORTH EAST UK CULTURE

Sunday for Sammy >>>

Sunday for Sammy | Supporting young creative talent in Tyneside